Dine In, Dine Out: The Best of 2012

The 2012 Fast Casual Top 100 list showcases the best of fast casual dining. The people, the restaurants, trends and technologies are quickly changing the way people look at fast casual. We live in a technological age where everything is virtual, so everything is evolving to keep up, and fast casual isn’t being left behind. They are using social media to their benefit by connecting with their customer-on-the-go audience to better attract and meet the needs of their consumer base.

Every year, the top 100 are put out based on concept only, but this year, things were taken in a different direction by incorporating more definitive factors that make a restaraunt be one of the top 100. More and more fast casual businesses are connecting to their customers via social media bringing that modern appeal to restaurants again. The best restaurants, people, technology and trends of 2012 are here.

This infographic is like a cheat sheet for the top 100, showing us the top 10, the best of the best. From new, more efficient ways to train and hire employees, process food orders and improve employee/customer relations, fast casual businesses are always looking for new ways to improve. By reaching out via social media and connecting with the use of smart phones, they’ve enabled a larger audience to interact with what they have to offer.

Not only are these restaurants improving through technology, they are also surging forward to meet the new demand for healthier and more natural choices. Organic, homemade, and dishes with natural ingredients are becoming much more popular, which appeals to a larger group of people who want to eat out. Gluten free menus have surged forward allowing those with a gluten sensitivity to enjoy as well, up to a point that it is number one on the list. Experts express that everyone should be aware of the effect that social media has with its billions of users all over the world. With those numbers, word travels fast, so fast casual establishments are hopping on that bandwagon quickly in order to promote their restaurants, and because of these leaps, fast casual is in for some serious growth in 2012.

2012 Fast Casual Top 100 [Infographic]
Download the full Fast Casual Top 100
Compliments of FastCasual.com